Human Resources > Benefits > Life Change > Changes in Employment Status

Changes in Employment Status

Changes in Employment Status may impact your benefit eligibility. A position change is effective the 1st day of the month following the transition.

Please select one of the changes in employment status below, by rolling your cursor over the title, for additional information.

Newly Benefits Eligible

You must make your University benefit plan selections online using HRIS Self Service at https://nuhr.northwestern.edu within 31 days of hire or initial benefits eligibility.
The Benefits Division will not accept paper enrollment forms. All enrollment must be done online. Backup paper documentation may be required for some plans, however, including life insurance and long term care.
You will be notified via email when your new hire event is ready in Self Service for your elections. If you have not heard within 2 weeks of your hire date, please contact the Benefits Division at (847) 491-7513 .

Even if you do not wish to enroll in any benefits, you should use your new hire event to assign life insurance beneficiaries and select an investment company for retirement savings.

Additional information can be found on the New Hire website

Lost Benefits Eligibility

At the time you terminate from the University, you may elect to temporarily continue to participate in certain University sponsored benefits. To continue health, dental, vision and FSA Health Care Account participation, you must complete the COBRA enrollment forms within 60 days of the loss of insurance coverage or the date of the COBRA notification from the University, whichever is later.
You have an additional 45 days to make the first payment, but insurance coverage will not be reinstated until this is done.

You may convert certain coverages, including life insurance and long term care, to individual policies directly with the sponsoring insurance company.

Additional information can be found on the COBRA website

Faculty to Staff

You are newly eligible for short term disability. You must submit the Benefits Change Form within 31 days of the change in employment status to elect the additional benefit.
You cannot change the health or dental plan in which your family is enrolled.

Staff to Faculty

You are no longer eligible for short term disability.
You cannot change the health or dental plan in which your family is enrolled.

National Research Service Award (NRSA) Post Doctoral Fellow to Post Doctoral Fellow

You are newly eligible for health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, a health savings account, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, spouse or domestic partner life insurance, dependent child life insurance, and voluntary retirement savings.
You will be eligible for short term disability, long term disability, and matched and unmatched retirement savings after one year of continuous service in this position. This waiting period will be decreased by the length of continuous service in a regular staff position immediately prior to the NRSA appointment.
You must submit the Benefits Change Form within 31 days of the change in employment status to elect the additional benefits.
You cannot change the health or dental plan in which your family is enrolled.

Post Doctoral Fellow to National Research Service Award (NRSA) Post Doctoral Fellow

As an NRSA Post Doctoral Fellow, the premiums for health, dental, and vision plans are paid by a combination of funds from the NRSA grant and the University. If family coverage is elected, you are responsible for a portion as well.
You are no longer eligible for flexible spending accounts, a health savings account, life insurance, short and long term disability, and matched and unmatched retirement saving
You cannot change the health or dental plan in which your family is enrolled.